The present invention relates to an architecture for computer processors and computer networks and, in particular, to an architecture for computer processors and computer networks in a broadband environment. The present invention further relates to a programming model for such an architecture.
The computers and computing devices of current computer networks, e.g., local area networks (LANs) used in office networks and global networks such as the Internet, were designed principally for stand-alone computing. The sharing of data and application programs (“applications”) over a computer network was not a principal design goal of these computers and computing devices. These computers and computing devices also typically were designed using a wide assortment of different processors made by a variety of different manufacturers, e.g., Motorola, Intel, Texas Instruments, Sony and others. Each of these processors has its own particular instruction set and instruction set architecture (ISA), i.e., its own particular set of assembly language instructions and structure for the principal computational units and memory units for performing these instructions. A programmer is required to understand, therefore, each processor's instruction set and ISA to write applications for these processors. This heterogeneous combination of computers and computing devices on today's computer networks complicates the processing and sharing of data and applications. Multiple versions of the same application often are required, moreover, to accommodate this heterogeneous environment.
The types of computers and computing devices connected to global networks, particularly the Internet, are extensive. In addition to personal computers (PCs) and servers, these computing devices include cellular telephones, mobile computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), set top boxes, digital televisions and many others. The sharing of data and applications among this assortment of computers and computing devices presents substantial problems.
A number of techniques have been employed in an attempt to overcome these problems. These techniques include, among others, sophisticated interfaces and complicated programming techniques. These solutions often require substantial increases in processing power to implement. They also often result in a substantial increase in the time required to process applications and to transmit data over networks.
Data typically are transmitted over the Internet separately from the corresponding applications. This approach avoids the necessity of sending the application with each set of transmitted data corresponding to the application. While this approach minimizes the amount of bandwidth needed, it also often causes frustration among users. The correct application, or the most current application, for the transmitted data may not be available on the client's computer. This approach also requires the writing of a multiplicity of versions of each application for the multiplicity of different ISAs and instruction sets employed by the processors on the network.
The Java model attempts to solve this problem. This model employs a small application (“applet”) complying with a strict security protocol. Applets are sent from a server computer over the network to be run by a client computer (“client”). To avoid having to send different versions of the same applet to clients employing different ISAs, all Java applets are run on a client's Java virtual machine. The Java virtual machine is software emulating a computer having a Java ISA and Java instruction set. This software, however, runs on the client's ISA and the client's instruction set. A version of the Java virtual machine is provided for each different ISA and instruction set of the clients. A multiplicity of different versions of each applet, therefore, is not required. Each client downloads only the correct Java virtual machine for its particular ISA and instruction set to run all Java applets.
Although providing a solution to the problem of having to write different versions of an application for each different ISA and instruction set, the Java processing model requires an additional layer of software on the client's computer. This additional layer of software significantly degrades a processor's processing speed. This decrease in speed is particularly significant for real-time, multimedia applications. A downloaded Java applet also may contain viruses, processing malfunctions, etc. These viruses and malfunctions can corrupt a client's database and cause other damage. Although a security protocol employed in the Java model attempts to overcome this problem by implementing a software “sandbox,” i.e., a space in the client's memory beyond which the Java applet cannot write data, this software-driven security model is often insecure in its implementation and requires even more processing.
Real-time, multimedia, network applications are becoming increasingly important. These network applications require extremely fast processing speeds. Many thousands of megabits of data per second may be needed in the future for such applications. The current architecture of networks, and particularly that of the Internet, and the programming model presently embodied in, e.g., the Java model, make reaching such processing speeds extremely difficult.
Therefore, a new computer architecture, a new architecture for computer networks and a new programming model are required. This new architecture and programming model should overcome the problems of sharing data and applications among the various members of a network without imposing added computational burdens. This new computer architecture and programming model also should overcome the security problems inherent in sharing applications and data among the members of a network.